[Breath of Fire II] The White Wings
by Scenes from a Memory
Summary: The tale of the only acknowledged daughter of the royal family in Windia. With pure white wings, and a pure heart, she finally embraces reality, only to find that nothing is what she imagines it to be. It is at this time, her world shatters.
1. Gentle Breeze

Note: Okay, the names of the two guards that accompany Mina in the beginning of the game had no name that I could remember(unless it said so in the credits, but I don't remember, so I'll just make them up.) Just so if anyone is curious, the names of the characters in the story are quite different(well, some of them,) so I will give a little pronunciation key here:

Ginmae(Ghin-may) Trianna(Try-anna)

The view from the window consisted of a palette of blue; blue sky littered with white, fluffy clouds hanging harmoniously above the stretched out ocean below. They were calm, almost motionless except for the small ripples that coursed through them periodically. It was the same each day, the same scenery, the same rays of sunlight cast down through her windows, occasionally drowned out by her lavender, silk curtains; it was all the same. Princess Mina, of the kingdom of Wyndia, sighed deeply and gazed longingly out the large window from her lavishly decorated room in one of the southern towers of the castle. It was this time of the day that Mina enjoyed the most, the time when bird song could be heard upon the breeze and carried across the deep ravines and cliffs below. It almost seemed to echo all around her; she just loved it. A hand touched upon her frail shoulders, startling her with a gasp.

"Princess, it is time to brush your hair. Please sit in front of the vanity mirror." A middle-aged, white winged maid said gently as she pulled her hand away and moved across the plush, lavender carpet. Mina glanced over her shoulder, smiled and nodded to her maid, Alma. Ever since she could remember, she had taken care of her, more so than her mother, Queen Hina, had. Though, she couldn't blame her poor mother, she was so busy with nursing the king ,whom had fallen ill several times, back to health.

"Yes, Alma. I am coming." The princess said softly and walked with the grace that was expected of a royal daughter over to a beautiful, oak dresser with a vanity mirror propped on top of it. Alma stood behind her and chuckled, trying to reach beyond Mina's somewhat extended, white wings; it was proving quite difficult with her standing up. She lightly tapped the girl with the brush and laughed. "Oh, I am sorry, Alma. " Mina said in a fit of panic as she folded her wings ever so tightly to her body, and sat down quickly upon a cushioned stool. Though, as she rested her body down, a loud tearing noise accompanying the motion. The princess blushed brightly, Alma just laughed once again, shaking her head with a smile.

The maid's next words came out more as a mild chuckle, "Ah, girls..." The woman sighed as she gathered the fine strands of cerulean into her hand and brushed it briskly. Mina had incredible hair, no matter how hard or long she brushed it, it always kept that adorable, pixie-do. No surprise, it was natural, she assumed. After all, most of the female Fae clan members had the same hair style. Suddenly, Mina began to apologize profusely about something, had she not been paying attention enough? "Oh, princess... don't worry about your dress. We can always make you another, and you have an entire wardrobe full of them." The woman said and finished with the last stroke through the silky head of hair, reaching around to set the brush down on the drawer and help Mina up. Alma kneeled down and ran a fingertip over the tear in the princess's dress; it was bad stitching upon the side seam of the fabric. She would need to talk to the seamstress, Alma thought as she stood up and strolled over to the large wardrobe and opened the doors.

Mina scurried over to Alma's side, carefully watching the clothing the maid was sorting through, trying to find which one would fit her, and look nice on her on this particular day. The princess suddenly reached out and pulled out an elegant, and beautiful piece of clothing. It was shoulder-less, low-cut purple and pink dress, trimmed in gold and decorated lavishly with assorted sapphires, ending with light blue ruffles upon the bottom hem of the skirt(until I find out what exactly everything is called, I'm not too sure on exact clothing names. I'm sorry for this humiliating description.) "I would like to wear this one today, Alma." The maid laughed and shook her head briskly.

"My lady, it is too good of a dress for just sitting around the castle." The middle-aged woman said in a scolding tone of voice as she began to look yet again, through the other dresses for Mina to wear.

"Alma, have you forgotten? I am to visit my sister at the Magic Academy!" The princess said with a smile, those emerald eyes of her glistening with joy. Mina was always excited whenever she had the chance to sneak out of the castle and visit her older sister. Though, at times, she wondered why her sister never came to the castle to visit her; why she so blatantly avoided mentioning anything about the castle when they exchanged letters ever so often. It was perplexing to the girl and she just smiled about it. Sister just didn't have the time to take from her studies and visit her in Wyndia, she understood; she wanted her sister to become a great magician, that is why the king and queen sent her there for!

Alma sighed with frustration and threw her arms to the side, bothering not to go against her princess's decision. "I give up, princess. If that is what you would like to wear, then so be it." The maid smiled and tucked a strand of her own, burgundy hair behind her ear. "You're so much like my daughter when she was your age. She always dressed up, even for the littlest things." Alma closed the wardrobe and spun Mina around by the shoulders to face a mirror on the wall. She reached out toward the princess's back and slowly began to unlace the strings binding the poorly made, yellow dress to the girl's body one at a time, careful as to not to snap them as she pulled them from their clasps. The princess tried to stand perfectly still as Alma undressed her, finally managing to unlace the strings and pulled the clothing open, like one pulls open a curtain, exposing Mina's slightly bare back. Mina stretched those splendid, white wings gently, a single feather shedding from the mass structure of alabaster and falling upon the floor. Many of the Wyndian dresses were made this way to accommodate the large, protruding wings, through simple slits on the back of the dresses that were easily hidden by lacing up the back of the cloth. The fancy number dropped onto the soft carpeting, fully revealing the soft, silky slip claded body. "Step out of the dress, my lady..." Alma instructed, a little irritated in her tone of voice because of the fact she could never get Mina to wear the proper undergarments that royalty should. Who could blame her though, it was all far too heavy to wear and then there was the dress over that.

Mina nodded and carefully stepped out of the dress, staring down at it for a couple of minutes. Alma came by and swept the clothing into her hands and laid it on the nearby chair for later dealings. The woman took the dress of Mina's choice from her hands and knelt down, allowing for the princess to step into it, which she did. After a few moments of struggle, the attire eventually fitted over her petite form. The good thing about it was that the dress zipped up in back and came up to just before her shoulder-blades; where her wings protruded. It was an easy dress to walk around in, and it was also easy on her wings, leaving way for convenient use of them if needed. Alma lead Mina back over to the vanity, reaching into the many drawers and pulling out a jewel embedded choker, golden bracelets, and a few rings. The maid carefully placed them on the princess and slid a pair of pink hued gloves over her slender arms. Alma smiled at Mina's reflection in the mirror, running a hand through the girl's hair.

"You look beautiful, as always, my princess." The woman said and nodded. Mina just giggled in response, like she always did to compliments from anyone.

* * * *

"HEY! Get over here, you sneaky swine!" yelled a feminine voice from inside the castle corridors. Seconds passed, and the door literally shook open, giving way to a fleshy-toned piglet that snorts happily at the sight of Mina. The little pig trots at full speed over to the princess, whom kneels slowly and opened her arms, ready to accept the little creature into her arms with laughter. Alma furiously stomps her foot, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Princess! I've told you a thousand times-"

Mina looked up at Alma with a smile, holding the young piglet close to her body. "It is alright, Alma. It is Suzy, she is a clean girl." The princess stands, rubbing under Suzy's chin with a gloved digit, causing the small pig to squeal in delight. Alma simply sighs and shakes her head, again.

"I know that Suzy is your pet, but she is still an animal and it is inappropriate for a princess to keep such a thing in her room." The maid said, looking at Mina with a scornful face. Alma began to wonder who exactly let this piglet slip past the inner courtyard and into the princess's room. She would sure give them a talking to when she saw them, that's for sure. Allowing an animal to trot right into Mina's room, and god knows that dirt or disease they were tracking in as well!

Footsteps emitted from the hallway outside of the room, first sounding far away, then becoming louder and louder with each passing moment. Without warning, a young, white-winged female barged into the room, breathless from running from down the hallway at such an incredible pace. "S...s.." She stammered, pushing back a lock of aqua hair and folded those wings of hers, she was completely and utterly speechless. It was embarrassing, especially in front of the princess, to look so weak and out of shape. "S..Suzy!" Blurted the young woman, garbed in a simple, light-weight breastplate of thin iron and a golden tunic. Guards at the castle only wore light armament while on patrol. The Wyndians were, after all, hallow-boned creatures and could not don anything too heavy that would weigh them down in flight. Alma sighed in irritation at the guard's arrival and rested both her hands upon her hips.

"Ginmae! I should have known... " The older woman muttered, shaking her head. "you're such a clumsy girl! How hard can it be to keep track of ONE pig?" Alma was extremely angry, her face was caked with frustration, anger and scorn; no one in the castle was stupid enough to get on her bad side. Too bad today was Ginmae's unlucky day. The aging maid stomped up to the younger woman and looked her straight in the eyes; blue to blue. Alma's gaze narrowed as she shook her head and pointed at the pig in Mina's grasp. "What would happen if Suzy caught some disease and spread it to the princess?! How do you think that would make the king and queen feel? They've already-" She suddenly gasped and crept backwards, covering her mouth with both hands; she realized if she finished that sentence, it would be a grave mistake. Speaking of past affairs around the guards, especially the newer ones, was not a good idea. It would only arouse questions and suspicision.

"They've already what? I don't understand, Ms. Alma, Suzy's never been outside of the castle!" Ginmae retorted, throwing her hands to the side in frustration in not being able to comprehend that woman's misplaced anger. She was always like that, always angry at one little slip up, anything that seemed remotely threatening to the princess's health, even if it was minuscule. Ginmae could see that Alma was only becoming even more agitated with each word she spoke and shrugged her shoulders, staring downcast. "Okay, fine... I'll take Suzy back to the courtyard..." She whimpered, like a child would after being scolded by their mother.

Mina stepped in-between the two and just laughed, stroking Suzy's back. "Come now, it is alright! Alma! Please do not be so harsh..." The girl said softly, trying to ease Alma's temper and maybe even Ginmae's tension. "Suzy is a royal pet, she is allowed to come into my room. That is that." Mina walked gracefully over to her vanity, picked up a small pouch containing a wealthy sum of zenny and began to make her way out of her room and into the hallway. "I will be going now, Alma." The princess was gone.

Ginmae darted over to the doorway and peeked a glance around the corner, watching the princess walk quickly toward the inside courtyard of the castle. Why did she have a pouch of zenny coins? The princess was never allowed to leave the castle, unless.... "Whoa! Wait a minute here!" Ginmae said in surprise, spinning upon her heels to face Alma with a stern look. "Don't tell me Princess Mina is going to leave the castle by herself?!"

"...How did you know?" The maid responded.

"Well, I don't see why she would need zenny if she was in the castle!" Ginmae shook her fist at the maid, shaking her head briskly, "Why aren't you going with her?! What if she gets killed? For once, I'm surprised you're not jumping all over her." The guard began to tower over Alma, casting a dark, looming shadow upon the carpet. She was beginning to seem like some sort of menace by the way she was acting. "She's in real danger now!"

Alma sighed and began to pace back and forth, her face showing signs of obvious concern. After a minute, she paused and looked up at Ginmae. "Yes, you're right... but you must understand once the princess makes up her mind, you can't stop her! I am far too old to protect her out there... so, please, Ginmae... could you?"

Ginmae let out a loud laughter, folding her arms over her chest. "Wow, that's a first! You're trusting me to do something? Well then, Lady Alma! I will do my best to protect the princess!" The female guard turned, ready to spring forth out into the hallway, but Alma's voice stopped her right in mid-action.

"Please, do not tell the king or queen about this." She pleaded.

The guard nodded, quietly replying, "On my honor." With that, she quickly darted into the hallway, spreading those wings of hers to come into a simplified glide the rest of the way. Once again, she was interrupted by another voice, though it was still a familiar one.

"Ginmae! Where are you going in such a rush?" A loud, commanding female voice shouted from a few meters away. Ginmae landed promptly upon her feet, folding those wings of hers and sighing. There was no telling how far Mina was by now. "Well? Answer me!"

"Trianna, I'm in a hurry. Please understand!"

"Hmph, I asked where you were going, so answer me and I'll leave you at that." Trianna's voice had gotten louder as she closed the distance between them. She was about an inch taller than Ginmae, with long, wavy, violet hair that was bound up at the swell of her hips. Few waves of hair rested across her visage, she was quick to sweep them aside with a gauntlet-clad hand. A higher in rank guard, obvious by the quality of her golden armor and clothing. Trianna was known as the 'Crimson Wing" for her fiery red eyes; obviously it was seen as intimidating by the other grunts and lower guards. "Hurry up, or else I'll be assigning you to latrine cleaning duties again for insubordination."

Ginmae's eyes widened, she had recalled the last time she had been giving the duty of cleaning the toilets and it irked her to no end. It was truly the most disgusting experience of her entire life. She spun upon her heels and immediately saluted her superior, "Ma'am! I am going to escort Princess Mina outside of the castle!" There was no way she could get passed Trianna without the truth, so hopefully... well, she hoped that she would understand. Instead of understanding, Trianna got right up in her face and slapped Ginmae, sending her head reeling to the side. It was painful.

"You stupid fool! Why are you letting the Princess get out of the castle?" Trianna said quietly, yet loud enough to scare the living tar out of someone. Those crimson depths pitted against her sapphire blue eyes, leaving Ginmae with a dry lump of air in her throat. "I need to inform Queen Hina of this this instant!"

"No! You can't! Lady Alma told me not to tell!" The guard blurted out, without realizing it until after all was said. She fidgeted and clasped her hands behind her back, "...oops..." Ginmae felt foolish, once again. Although, it was a feeling that was frequent.

Trianna suddenly paused, beginning to think about the current situation. It must have been important if Lady Alma had told no one not to tell that the princess was leaving. "So, she told you not to tell... Why? Where is the princess going?"

"I don't know, but I'll protect her no matter where she goes. So, if you excuse me..." The young guard trailed off, turning upon her feet once again and began to sprint down the hallway.

"Ginmae! Halt!" Trianna yelled after her, but her words seemed to have fell upon deaf ears. Damn that girl, she thought. It was far too late to tell the queen, who knows how far Mina has gotten? Maybe Ginmae knew that as well and decided to follow... Well then, that's just what she would do as well. Guard Princess Mina with her life, she would. "I am coming with you, Ginmae! Hold up!"

* * * * * * *

Mina wandered through the dank, dirty dungeon of the castle, navigating around the giant maze-like structure. Long ago, they built this here to prevent anyone from trying to invade the castle; well, at least help slow down an invasion at least. It appeared that it was never needed in the first place, but they kept it for safe measures. She knew this was the quickest way to the continent she needed cross over to; the only way to reach the great bridge that spanned over to the eastern lands. The corridors were barely lit, the cobble-stone was crumbling and moss had begun to grow heavy upon it. And the air, it smelled of stagnant water. Suzy snorted in Mina's arms, the sound carried down the dark dungeon in an echo. "Suzy, shh!" The girl said in a hushed whisper to the small piglet and continued to travel down an unknowing corridor that she took a turn at. However long she had been walking around here, she did not know. It had been awhile however and it was starting to make her feel hopeless. Though, she would not let herself give up, she was set on going to see her sister at the Magic Academy in HomeTown(for lack of name)and she was NOT going back. Something told her she was very close to the entrance to the bridge, maybe it was the subtle coughing of a nearby guard standing outside of an iron gate. Mina's heart started to beat rapidly; she was so happy she had found her way through the maze. The princess's footsteps startled the half-asleep male, white-winged guard.

"H...Halt!" He said in a fit of panic, hoisting up his spear at the girl approaching him. Mina, in shock, takes a step back, cradling Suzy closer to her chest in fear. The guard shakes his head and raises the visor on his helm, squinting his eyes. "Princess Mina?" The guard says in uncertainty, lowering his pole-arm.

"Yes."

The man stretches his wings and promptly salutes her after his discovery. Mina giggles in response and begins to close the gap between the two, smiling at him. He merely gazes down at her and speaks, "Why are you here?"

"I would like to leave the castle."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you leave... Especially if you're going alone." The tone of his voice was flat, yet apologetic at the same time.

Rapid footsteps echoed down the corridors of the dungeon, causing the guard to jump in surprise and drop his spear. Rounding the bend, were two Wyndian woman; Ginmae and Trianna. They were running out top speed toward the two, coming to a skidding halt as they reached their destination.

"Fear not, the princess is not going by herself!" Trianna gasped, trying to regain her breath and composure. Ginmae just nodded and stood beside her superior while her chest heaved as she gasped for air. "So, please raise the gate." She ordered, looking directly into the male guard's eyes.

"Yes ma'am, captain Trianna!" The guard reached over to a lever on the wall, clamping his first over it and pulling it down. With a loud, mechanical cranking, the gate dropped as soundly as a stone into the ground, allowing passage onto the bridge outside. Mina looked stunned as she turned to both the women, but she managed to pull off a smile in gratitude. She could not believe they were helping her, she was so thankful.

"Lady Ginmae, Lady Trianna... thank you so much. Are you accompanying me?" The princess asked, with a hopeful glint in her deep, emerald eyes. How could they deny such a request now that they've seen the look on her face?

"Yes, we will." Trianna responded with a nod.  
"I am grateful... thank you so much. Let us get going then." Mina said after a polite curtsey and headed straight for the wide, open arched doorway. She had gone ahead and was happily gazing at the view of the ravine from the bridge.

"Ma'am, you aren't going to go back and report her... well, you know.. because she didn't get too far..." Ginmae asked her quietly.

"No... I don't want to be the one to let her down. Look at her, she's so happy to be outside.. There must be something important she needs to do." Trianna whispered back and headed out toward the bridge, ready to leave. Ginmae nodded, smiling at her captain's kindness... she never knew she was like that. Trianna was always such a stickler for the rules.

Suzy squealed and began to kick her feet around in Mina's arms, struggling to be released, Mina sighed and set her down. The piglet began to trot happily around the princess, snorting and squealing in such an ecstatic manner. Luckily, Suzy was well mannered and did not leave her side on the bridge. Ginmae and Trianna approached their princess, ready to journey and defend her.

"Just one question, my lady. Where are you headed?" Trianna asked in a gentle tone, very unlike how she addressed her grunts. Well, after all, it didn't seem polite to address a princess with a commanding tone.

"Hometown... Do you know where that is?" Mina asked, cocking her head to the side. Sure, she was going to head out alone, but she had no idea where she was going. It made her feel relieved that they were coming with her.

"Of course."

"Then, let us go, Lady Ginmae, Lady Trianna!" The princess said with a cheerful yell, and then looked down at her feet, to see Suzy staring up at her. "Oh, and you too, Suzy!" The two guards chuckled at the girl's behavior. So innocent. Trianna treaded down the bridge, leading the way, while Ginmae followed behind in the back, making sure nothing would come up from behind and attack the princess. There was a long walk ahead of them and hopefully, it would be uneventful.


	2. Tainted Feathers

Breath of Fire is copyright Capcom, as is Mina. 

Ok, hurrah, it is chapter 2 time for people who even read this. o_o This will eventually lead up to one of the saddest events in Breath of Fire 2. 

****

Chapter II - Tainted Feathers 

The biruburu fell quite easliy, Trianna thought to herself, withdrawing her blade from the beast's side and sheathed the quenched sword into a scabbard that hung from her belt. The massive, horned boar-like creature's hardened flesh was far too rough and scratched up to be of consequence; hardly anything good enough to be used as a pelt, but she knelt down to examine it anyway. It was worthless, as she expected and stood up to kick it aside. Mina shivered at the sight of the disemboweled corpse and looked away, shielding her eyes with both gloved hands. Ginmae shook her head in silence as she looked between Trianna and the princess, each whom seem equally disgusted, just at two different things. Wordlessly, the violet-haired woman gestured them forward, through the grassy plains and around the large, still lake that laid out before them. In the distance, the wooden bridge leading to the majesty castle of Wyndia could be seen. Though, with each step, it became further, and further away. There were no conversations, no words, or eventful meetings that caused much of a damper upon their journey. The only thing of relevance that occured was a stray biruburu who messed with the wrong woman. Trianna was one not to be reckoned with, the carcass would serve as a reminder to anyone who passed it by. Ginmae had been watching the princess attentively since they left the castle an hour ago, it was pretty boring, but she knew this had to be done, knew that Mina needed to be protected. At least Suzy was active, trotting about the ground, shoving that wet snout into the ground, snorting and squealing at almost imaginary feats that no one except the little piglet could see. If anyone knew Suzy best besides the princess, it was herself, Ginmae. She knew that Suzy loved to take walks, even if it was inside the castle, sometimes she'd have the little pig run around in the dungeon... Well, of course with her watchful eye, that is. One could get lost if they didn't know their way around the dark corridors. That was one thing Ginmae knew best, during her training to become a guard, they used to let loose some of the knaves and watch them wander around aimlessly for hours! It wasn't funny to her at the time, but now.... now that she thought about it; it was funny. The guard found herself laughing. 

"What's so funny, Ginmae?" Trianna asked from up ahead, not even bothering to turn and acknowledge it. 

Ginmae shook her head, trying to stifle her laughter with a goofy looking smirk, "Nothing, ma'am, I was just thinking..." 

Mina smiled to herself, ease-dropping on the conversation. She was curious, what exactly was Ginmae thinking of? The princess glanced over her shoulder, "What were you thinking of, Lady Ginmae?" Her words seemed drowned out by the passing breeze, ruffling the feathers of her folded white wings, and the strands of her deep, cerulean hair. However, the guard heard her just fine and just laughed once again. 

She shook her head with a smile, "Nothing, it's too embarrassing to even mention." Ginmae continued to chuckle to herself as they walked beyond the mist covered lake, seemingly oblivious to the surroundings. Well, Ginmae was, at least... 

"It feels good to be outside." Mina finally said, kneeling down to scoop up the tuckered out Suzy, whom happily nuzzles against her breast. The little piglet snorts happily, then drifts off to sleep. Mina smiles down at her in the way a mother would smile upon her sleeping infant. 

"You must not get out alot, huh?" Ginmae says, stretching her arms over her head and nearly trips over a stone embedded into the green earth in the process. Those white wings of hers spanned out, catching upon the loose wind and hovering her form in mid-air. It had stopped her from falling flat on her face, how embarrassing would that be? Falling in front of the princess, that would surely bring shame upon her very name. Ginmae resumes study footing upon the ground and folds her wings, rubbing the back of her head nervously. Hopefully no one saw her do that. 

A light, silver-coated laugh reached her ears. "You are so clumsy, Ginmae." Trianna said from up ahead. That was a surprise, was she watching the entire time? Of course, Trianna always kept a close eye on her troops, especially Ginmae... she was terribly unbalanced, but she had promise... that's what she saw in her. A loyal, fight-to-the-end, type of girl. Though, Trianna would never admit that to anyone. 

"What? Oh... I do not understand, but... No, Lady Ginmae, I do not get outside alot." The princess was confused by Trianna's amusement, she had not seen the little accident Ginmae had had. It was of little importance to her now, but she would be left wondering what was so funny... Mina was a very curious person, after all. 

After that small piece of conversation, emptiness filled the air, save for the echo of bird-song and the splashing of water from the lake aside them. The silence stretched through a period of around thirty minutes, by now, the churning fog upon the lake's surface was well out of view. The entourage had come to the steep cliffs of the Tag vicinity, known notoriously for the attacks bandits made on travelers, and the herd of higher gongheads that migrated through here. Ginmae swallowed a lump of dry air and began to glance uneasily beside her every few minutes as they came to the edge of the cliff. Looking down, the view below seemed small from their height; little blotches of assorted greens, browns and yellows seemed painted on the ground. Upon the horizon, loomed the seemingly unending ocean that enclosed all around the high raised land. Just beside the cliff, was a beaten, forged path leading down against the wall of the structured earth. It was the only way down, and it was exceedingly dangerous. Trianna paused before the beaten path, turning to face Ginmae and Mina with a feignly serious look. 

"We go down from here, though be very careful... We may get ambushed, we may not." The tall, female Wyndian began, spinning upon her heels and descending down the path. "Come, princess." Mina nodded and hesitantly followed her lead. 

"Whoa! Wait! Ambushed by what?!" Ginmae yelled as she began to spread her wings and leap off into flight. The swooshing of her apparent dive toward her companions carried out on the wind, arousing a herd of bloated, golden colored creatures with gigantic beaks that hovered just above on a natural cliff shelf.. "And why don't we just fly down?" She called out, her wide spread white wings gliding her along side Mina. 

"I don't want to risk being ambushed in mid-air. Think, Ginmae... " Trianna began, "If the princess were struck down in mid-flight.. the impact from the fall would kill her. It would kill us if we befell the same fate." The breeze tunneled through the small group, whipping their hair to the wind, drowning out their ability to hear depths. Oblivious to the swarming fleet of gongheads above them, Trianna continued to lead them down as Ginmae fought against the wind to place herself back on the path and fold her wings. Silently, the pack of creatures trailed them as far as their ledge would allow them, but they reached the point where there was no more footing. So, they hurled their bodies down onto the path the Wyndians wandered, landing with a loud thud before them. Trianna jumped back, unfolding her wings as she reached a hand down for her sword handle. Ginmae simply shrieked in unison with a screaming Mina and stepped back in surprise. 

"Back away, Princess!" Trianna yelled, diving down upon one of the large, orange, spiky creatures that resembled floating puff-balls. The edge of the blade easily sliced through the hide of the gonghead, following through to the backside of the beast. A warm spray of hot, sticky blood splatters against the ground as the Wyndian captain quickly moves onto her next target. Through her course of actions, she glanced over her shoulder, calling out to Ginmae. "Come, Ginmae! Draw your sword!" 

Ginmae swiftly reached a hand down to her sword handle, drawing it with a loud hiss. One of the gongheads charged her, ramming the rigid and exceedingly sharp beak into her side. The soft, yet durable material worn caused the guard to feel only a mild discomfort, though the razor sharp tip had pierced through to her skin, pricking her like a needle. The bird immediatly wheeled around and thrust her blade into the large creature's forehead, sinking the length of light metal into the gonghead's skull easily. The cry of defeat was cut short, the monster was soon rendered into a heap of decay as Ginmae swung her sword, sliding the corpse off and sending it plummeting toward the ground far below. Ginmae beamed proudly, having defeated her first monster ever, considering she was a mere castle guard, she never actually slayed anything. 

"Lady Ginmae, look out behind you!" Mina cried, embracing the small, fleshy pig closer to her chest as she backed far away from the carnage, warning the guard of an incoming gonghead ready to dive upon her. Suzy squealed in surprise as the creature lunged forth at Ginmae, the piglet struggling fiercely within Mina's grasp. 

"Huh?" Ginmae peered over her shoulder, her eyes widening at the sight of the spiky creature ramming into her face. The Wyndian went tumbling backwards, swearing in tongues as she flailed her arms around wildly like the fool she was. She couldn't fall over, especially near the edge of the path, which would ultimately send her falling toward the ground. However, in her panic, it never occurred to her that she should just fall, and that her wings would catch her. Such simplicity was hard for Ginmae to obtain. Instead, she managed to plant her feet down firmly and hang her head, bringing both her hands over her face as the guard shook her head in pain. 

Trianna, in the meantime, made quick work of the many gongheads that flew at her. Her blade was quenched, easily slicing through their bodies with ease, like a hot knife through butter. She did not seem to mind, no… she did not seem to notice the blood that had been strewn admist her. As if she were oblivious, or rather, made complete by the shedding of the crimson liquid. The captain turned in the direction of Ginmae, resting her gaze upon the clumsy girl trying to defend herself. 

One. 

She had slain one. That was pathetic, Trianna thought to herself and then leapt into the air, spreading her snow-white wings. The woman soon came tumbling down upon the gonghead, feet first onto its back and then with a powerful thrust, drove the tip of her blade through the beast. Trianna had paused in a kneeling position momentarily before sliding off of the bristly back, quickly withdrawing her blade from the corpse before her. The threat was gone; the princess would be safe. She could hear Mina in the background trying to calm a panic, squealing Suzy. 

"Ow, ow, ow…" Ginmae whimpered, finically touching her nose to test the source of pain. She had received a bloody nose from the assault made by the gonghead, and quite frankly, she was very distraught over it. This was her first battle ever, and she didn't quite yet have the proper training to focus her wits on the more ensuing affairs around her. "That hurt! I oughta-" 

"It is gone, Ginmae, you witless girl." Trianna announced, sheathing her soaking blade at her side and folded her wings. 

"What?!" Ginmae exclaimed, lifting her head up to peer up at an angry Trianna, and then around her. Corpses of living beings, the gongheads, had been scattered all along the pathway and she had only slain one. That was… kind of pathetic, she thought to herself. "I… I uh, I'm sorry… I guess I didn't do too well…." The girl hung her head, sighing. She knew she was in for a major ear-thrashing of a lifetime. 

Trianna's mouth opened, ready to scold Ginmae for her irresponsible behavior and incompetent fighting skills when Mina simply interrupted. 

"Oh, it is alright, Lady Ginmae. I would not know what to do either, but I'm glad you saved Suzy and I! That one was so close to us, I was so scared." The princess said softly, letting that cheerful smile of hers spread across her delicate features. She gave a small curtsey, or as best as she could with the now content Suzy within her arms. 

Trianna sighed in the background, shaking her head in disgust. However, if Ginmae did manage to help the princess, she did suppose she could forgive her just this once…. Again. Luckily, that would be the last ambush they would come across, she knew that it was not too far from the city of Coursair. That would be their destination for now; there they would seek lodging and nurishment. The captain began to lead them down the path once more, "Let us go before their stench attracts scavengers." 

* * * * 

The three of them walked for hours on end, passing by the Tag woods that stretched further behind the field of their vision. The heavy scent of pine saturated the air, mostly from the hunds of spruces and pine trees that grew in the forest. Most of the trip had been a peaceful stroll through grassy plains, nothing too exciting and most of all, it was almost sleep inducing at one point. They all pressed on, especially Mina, whose smile never seemed to fade with each step she took. Her wispy cerulean strands played along her face, and to the wind; she seemed so very happy and peaceful. Princess was also very determined to get to Hometown, to visit her sister… That would have to wait for another day, however.

A tall, lengthy wall of beige and tuscan red brick came into view upon the horizon. Day was slowly sinking into the horizon, shrouding the fields in a dull shadow. Cricket song carried upon the soft, refreshing breeze that had oh so tenderly caressed their cheeks, arousing their senses when they felt the loving touch of sleep come upon them. Little specks of light could be seen from within the confines of the wall surrounding a large building, a colosseum of some sorts, built in the architectural style of the Greek. It was hard to see at this point anyway, straining their eyes would do little to help them deduce the actual appearance of it from this distance. The tranquil toll of a bell echoed in the air, from the small church within the city that was within their reach at long last. The inclining widows peak towered over beyond the wall, pointed and jagged; a church of Saint Eva, no doubt.

It took just a few more minutes of travel, by this time Ginmae had began to nod off, by far neglecting her duty of watching over the princess. However, by this time, no one had noticed; they were just as equally exhausted. The small piglet had fallen into deep slumber in Mina's gloved arms as she marched steadily toward the steel archway that connected the large city gates. It was a fairly large city, and even at night, it was bustling with activity. Trianna paused and nudged Ginmae lightly in the side, stirring her awake.

"Huh?" The startled guard responded, blinking rapidly and pretended to look aware of the current situation.

"Be alert, Ginmae, this city is fairly dangerous at night… There isn't a man alive here who wouldn't kill to take the princess into their possession." Trianna commanded, once again, taking the initiative and stepping into the city first. The heels of her boots tapped against the smooth cobblestone of the streets, the captain gazed upon each looming brick building, studying them cautiously for danger.

"Yeah, yeah…" Ginmae responded in a sigh, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to remain in focus, she then turned to face the princess with a smile. "Come on, princess." Mina nodded and followed Trianna slowly, gasping in amazement at the size of the city, however, her sight seeing was cut short.

A gloved hand grasped ahold of her arm, leading her along the streets, away from the crowds of indecent looking people amassing underneath a street lamp.

The women threw their heads back in laughter, amused by an unheard joke as the bright, generated light bathed them. However, their laughter immediately ceased as the Wyndians passed by.

They stared at the unusual sight, gawking at them like one would gawk at a circus attraction.

Trianna tossed her main of dark violet back and leered furiously toward the group of ruffians under the street lamp. Her cold, deep crimson pools dug into their gaze, causing them to look away. Obviously, she was not to be trifled with; no one made a fool out of her. Quickly enough, she ushered both Ginmae and Mina into a large, wooden building; the truly distinguishing features could not be deciphered in the night. The only way of knowing what it truly was, was the large wooden sign hanging above the doorway. Carved into the wood was "INN."

* * * * 

Glass shattered against the wall of the building. Shards of translucent brown rained onto the dank cobblestone in between the darkened alleyway of two towering buildings built abreast.

A loud, echoing belch sounded.

"Didja see that…" A lone figure murmured, leaning up against the cold, barren brick siding of one of the buildings. The voice was low and raspy, "that woman…the one with the dark hair?"

"Ya'."Another voice responded, a male voice.

"It's been awhile, ya knooos…" The initial voice, obviously male, had slurred out through mingled words.

"…Yup." The other one responded, surrounded by the lengthy shadows the buildings casted upon each other. "...Got some pretty cute ones with her too."

The drunk one nodded, chuckling to himself as he folded his arms over his chest, "Ya, who caresh…We shood tell da bossh. About da cute girlsh and _Fahrenheit_."

"Ya'." He simply added in, nodding.

The other man, however, brought the rim of a slim bottle filled with liquid to his lips, "After thish lasht drink, dough… mmkay…?" He lazily said, half of his speech drowned out as he poured the bottle back, taking a quick swig of alcohol.

He brought the bottle down, sighing in relief; his thirst quenched.

The man lightly tapped the back of his head against the wall behind him and laughed once more.

"_Fahrenheit's_ gonna get it when we tell the bossh, ya…?"

"…Yup…"

They both laughed as the bottle of alcohol hit the street below, shattering into a myriad of glass shards. The heavy footsteps carried down the secluded alleyway as the two men departed, leaving behind the dull, glossy shards.

* * * *

Glass shattered.

Mina bolted upright in her bed, clutching the white sheets around her body tightly as she frantically looked to her side. Suzy was laying next to her, sprawled on her side as she dreamed dreams of pig-like fantasy. Whatever they may have been. The princess looked down, alarmed by the piercing sound of glass shattering and completely unaware of where the source had come from.

"What was that…?" Mina whispered to herself, a little shaken. The only comfort she found was in stroking Suzy's backside, listening to the little piglet snort in pleasure even while in her sleep. The princess shook her head and slowly threw the sheet covering her aside, sliding her frame out of the bed.

Her white wings spread out, stretching out to their full length. It was a relief. Sometimes, her back would cramp up from having her wings folded up for so long, she just had to stretch them every once and awhile. Mina glanced toward the window, gazing outside of it from beside her bed; there was little she could see besides the illuminating glow of the moon and stars. It was not enough to satisfy her curiosity and so further she went, toward the window.

The floorboards creaked underfoot as she moved slowly toward the transparent glass.

Mina's palms pressed against the cold surface of the window as she gazed over at the rooftop of the slightly shorter building across from her visage. Fog built up upon the glass as she exhaled quietly and with a sigh, she would easily wipe it away, only to see it return once more. Glancing downward, she noticed a trail of red cloth disappear into the shadows, it was sarcely visible from this height, but the hue of the material was undisputable.

The floorboards creaked and Mina felt her heart race. Just as she had glanced out the window, she had witnessed a figure running towards the front of the building. What if they saw her? What if they were doing something that no one was supposed to see?

The princess stood perfectly still, her bottom lip trembling as the loud footsteps came closer and closer. She closed her eyes tightly, praying and hoping that this was just a dream; that those men weren't after her...

Mina felt a heavy hand grasp her shoulder and spin her around. The princess shrieked loudly, however, the same hand came and smothered that voice.

"Princess, please, it is just me."

Mina, blushing in embarrassment, sighed and shook her head with that familiar smile of hers, "Oh… Lady Trianna, it is you. I am so sorry… I heard something…"

"Likewise, that is why I came here to check up on you." Trianna said, now guiding the princess back to her bed. "Come now, you need your sleep."

"I heard something from outside, so I looked out the window and saw a figure running away." Mina said in a hurried sentence, her words moving out faster than she could think as Trianna laid her down onto the mattress. "Why would anyone be in the alleyway? It is very dark there, I do not understand."

Trianna remained silent and brought the covers of the bed over Mina quickly. The captain turned around and headed towards the door, only to pause before reaching it. "There are many things I am sure you do not understand, Princess… perhaps that is for the better. I believe you saw the barbaric members of the "Joker Gang," as they call themselves. They are a band of thieves, gangsters, liars, murders, and rapists." Trianna walked through the doorway, turning around to close the door, "It is for the better that you do not pay attention to anything you hear at night… Just go to bed. We're leaving early in the morning."

The door shut.

Mina blinked once and then sunk deeper under the covers. For a few minutes, she stared up at the ceiling blankly before drifting off to sleep.

Was life outside of the castle… Bad?

* * * *

"Oh god! Oh god!" A voice cried from outside of the inn in desperation, "Somebody, help us!!" A woman kneeled down on the ground, holding the body of a profusely bleeding teenage girl in her arms.

The girl's clothing had been torn almost completely off her body, leaving her bruised flesh exposed. The woman cradled the girl, rocking back and forth as she brushed a hand through the victim's hair. A long, crimson slit ran across the teenage girl's throat, which continued to pour with blood and the woman, apparently the girl's mother, continued to cry.

The door to the inn burst open, and out came the aqua-haired woman, Ginmae, along with the stout owner of the inn. Ginmae gasped and immediately ran to the mother's side, kneeling down to examine the girl in her arms. The owner just furrowed his eyebrows, shaking his head at the sight of the mother and her daughter. Calmly, he walked over to Ginmae and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Quick, go to the church and bring the doctor and priest!" He commanded her and helped her up. Ginmae nodded and took off down the street, toward the church, which was luckily, just a few yards away. The owner sighed heavily and knelt down beside the woman, wrapping a single arm around her shoulder.

He pulled her close to his chest as she sobbed frantically.

"No! No! No! No! No…." The woman whimpered, leaning her head against the man's chest, weeping her tears into the cloth of his shirt. "She was s…s…so young….No…no…"

"Shh… I know… I know… " He said, comforting her in any way he could. This was the third victim this week to be killed, but it looks like the girl had also been raped as well. The owner could feel tears sting his cheek, his heart turning bitter with a glance to the sky. "Why does Saint Eva allow these horrible things to happen…?"

--- 

Inside the inn, sitting cross-legged at one of the wooden tables, Trianna sipped her bottle of alcohol she bought at the pub next door nonchalantly. Her icy gaze remained fixed through the window, observing the events from inside the building. Yes, perhaps some things were better left not understanding and perhaps, some things were best left in the past. The Wyndian captain continued to remain unphased, even as the mother wailed as the priest laid a white cloth over her daughter's body.

Trianna took another sip and then brought the bottle down upon a coaster.

It was a shame she had forgotten what it was like to regret the loss of innocence. Ginmae, however, she had not. Trianna hoped beyond hope that she never would. With that, the captain stood up from her chair and headed up the stairs.

She too, needed a goodnight's sleep.


End file.
